Shelf Control #90 – 23/05/2025
Happy Friday, friends! It’s the start of a long weekend here in the UK, and I’m looking forward to a cheeky extra day off work. We’re not quite there yet, though! In today’s Shelf Control post, I feature the first book in a young adult series with a bizarre premise.
As always, before I share details of the book, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is.
Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.
If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.
#MurderTrending – Gretchen McNeil
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352
Audience: Young Adult
Publisher: Freeform
Publication Date: 07 Aug 2018
@doctorfusionbebop: Some 17-year-old chick named Dee Guerrera was just sent to Alcatraz 2.0 for killing her stepsister. So, how long do you think she’ll last?
@morrisdavis72195: I hope she meets justice! She’ll get what’s coming to her! BWAHAHA!
@EltonJohnForevzz: Me? I think Dee’s innocent. And I hope she can survive.
WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.
When seventeen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she’s innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners kill them off one by one?
My Thoughts
The strange concept behind #MurderTrending is why I added it to my reading list in September 2019. The appeal to a younger audience is apparent in the emphasis on social media. However, with it a more prevalent element of modern life, it’s an idea we are all very familiar with.
Aside from the bizarre premise, there’s a mystery here to draw readers in. Why is Dee being lined up for a crime she didn’t commit? Is she really innocent? There are already a number of unanswered questions before we even get to the first page!
This book has very mixed reviews, so I don’t know what to expect. However, this Shelf Control post has got me keen to try this first book and see what I think. If I like it, there are a couple more books in the series I can dive into.
What do you think of today’s Shelf Control feature? I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post!
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